Principles of Materials Science

Aim

Materials science is a fusion of multidisciplinary theories and approaches since 1980s, and covers a wide range of scientific and engineering aspects. The primary goal of this course is to provide students a knowledge foundation of the quantum theory, solid-state chemistry, thermodynamics and kinetics, with the relevant mathematical tools and many application examples in materials science, in order to facilitate further studies and understand the inter-relationship among preparation techniques, structures, and properties of various materials, in particular crystalline solids and semiconductors in bulk, thin film, and nano-scale form. After successful examination the student should:

• be able to describe a material, from individual atoms, interatomic bonding, to crystalline periodic structure, with a quantum mechanic perspective
• understand how the structure dictates the properties of various materials at both microscopic and macroscopic levels
• be able to explain mass action and phase transformation processes of solid materials based on both thermodynamic and kinetic considerations
• understand the physics and chemistry behind some commonly used methods for materials synthesis and growth, and how the preparation technique affects the structures and properties of the material
• be able to design a process to prepare (synthesize or grow) the desired material, and calculate the synthesis (growth) rate using kinetic equations of the corresponding chemical reaction.

Content

Quantum theory and atomic structures: Wave–particle duality, electron wavefunctions, the Schrödinger equation and basic quantum mechanics, the Bohr atom, the quantum description and electronic configurations of an atom.

Chemical bonding and molecular structures: Properties of bonded atoms, models of chemical bonding and bond hybridization, the Born-Oppenheimer approximation and molecular-orbital theory.

Solid-state chemistry: States of matter and phase transitions, nucleation and assembly of crystals, lattices and structural symmetry, fundamental properties of various matter.

Thermodynamics and kinetics in materials science: Chemical energies and the 1st law of thermodynamics, chemical equilibrium and the 2nd law of thermodynamics, chemical kinetics and reaction mechanisms.